Environmental Carcinogens? Are You at Risk?

While there’s decades-old research stating that environmental cancer risks are low, it turns out it might be higher than we thought. Knowing whether or not you’re at risk is half the battle.

If you’re unsure if environmental carcinogens are in the air around you, you need to dig deeper into the industries and history in your neighborhood.

Here’s what you need to know about environmental risks.

It’s Within Your Control

There’s no doubt that bad genes play a massive role in who gets cancer and what kind they get. However, this isn’t the whole story when it comes to your cancer risk. Even when environmental carcinogens are present, there are other factors that contribute to cancer.

Smoking, a bad diet, and a lack of exercise all lay the groundwork for cancer. Whether or not you’re genetically predisposed to it, working hard to stay healthy can pay off and help you avoid it.

However, around 15% of cancer cases are caused by environmental factors. These can be infections, pollution, or radiation that occurs because of man-made efforts. Even when it seems unavoidable, there is hope when it comes to protecting yourself from environmental carcinogens.

It Gets Hyped Up By the News

News stories are constantly suggesting that a new everyday item is causing cancer. The steady stream of these stories and the fact that they’re related to common products leads to a fear that everything causes cancer.

The constant warnings are overwhelming. Hearing that environmental carcinogens could be invisibly present is even more upsetting.

The WHO (World Health Organization) even names around 500 potential carcinogens based on common substances or activities. The recent addition of processed meats means that even some of our favorite snack foods could be making us sick.

However, the dosage makes a big difference. Having a single cigarette has little impact over the course of an entire lifespan. However, breathing in a steady stream of radon gas released by a factory down the road can have serious negative health impacts.

There Are As Many Natural Carcinogens as Synthetic

While it seems like a general rule that synthetic products are more likely to cause cancer than natural products, cancer can be caused by “natural” elements. When a food product or a cleaning product is labeled as “natural”, there’s no guarantee it’s free of carcinogens.

When a product is labeled as “natural”, it’s under no oversight from federal standards to say so. However, the term “organic” can only be displayed by products that meet very strict guidelines. Reading labels is an important way to understand the products we bring into our homes.

Some rural homeowners might feel more comfortable living next to an “organic” farm than a conventional one. They fail to realize that there are organic pesticides that organic farms are allowed to use that are just as bad for them as conventional or chemical pesticides.

It’s important to be critical when trying to avoid environmental carcinogens. Residential pesticides are particularly bad for children or for anyone exposed while in the womb. During infancy, childhood cancers and brain tumors can develop when these environmental carcinogens are in the air.

It’s Not Irreversible

Much like any other substance that our bodies absorb, most of the carcinogens we come into contact with are metabolized over time. The exposure determines whether or not your body can recover. Some absorption accumulates and creates constant exposure.

However, environmental exposures can be partially reversed by eliminating them. Risks surrounding lung cancer are often reduced by quitting smoking or moving away from the source. Healthy lifestyle changes ensure that we reduce our risks of cancer and increase our chances of living longer even after being exposed to carcinogens.

Radiation From Technology Can Be Mitigated

While it’s true that cell phones, microwaves, and power lines emit radiation, it’s low energy radiation. Even Wi-Fi emits non-ionizing radiation. While it’s nowhere near as powerful and energetic as an X-ray or even sunlight, it’s still present.

We’re still figuring out the carcinogenic power of cell phone radiation. The WHO is still analyzing cell phone radiation and brain cancer correlations. However, users can mitigate this by holding their phone just a few millimeters from their body.

Hands-free devices and texting help to reduce this.

There’s no evidence for Wi-Fi signals causing cancer but wireless routers should be kept away from where people in your home spend their time. If your building is considering putting up a cell phone tower, as many urban buildings are doing, see that it’s put far up from residences.

Kids Are Safe on Artificial Turf

While ground-up tire rubber (or crumb rubber) was recently deemed a carcinogen, there’s no connection to skin-on-skin contact. Even though PCBs and heavy metals are found in some artificial turf, there’s no clear connection yet.

Kids at play are safe, even though air measurements have found the presence of chemicals in the air of indoor turf facilities.

Playing on turf should be done in well-ventilated areas. Hand-to-mouth contact while playing needs to be kept at a minimum and in general, kids should avoid direct contact with the artificial turf.

Environmental Carcinogens Are a Serious Issue

If you’re worried about environmental carcinogens, it’s important to learn about what could be in your local air, water, and land. One of the best ways to do this is to contact your regional EPA office and city officials.